Archive for the ‘Pain’ Category

Rotator cuff injuries

What is the rotator cuff?

A rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint.  The rotator cuff keeps the head of your arm bone (the humerus) firmly within the shoulder socket and allows you to raise and rotate your arm.

 

rotator-cuff-diagram

Common injuries

Injuries to the rotator cuff are common and can range from mild inflammation (tendinitis) to a complete tear in the tendon.  Pain may present in the shoulder as a dull ache and it may be difficult to move your arm up over your head and/or behind you.

The incidence of rotator cuff injuries does tend to increase with age due to normal wear and tear on the rotator cuff tendon and usually present as a tear in the tendon.

 

Injuries in younger people

Rotator cuff injuries can also occur at a younger age in professions that require repeated overhead movements such as painters and carpenters and in sports activities such as baseball and swimming.

Rotator cuff injuries can also present after a fall on the shoulder.

 

Types of rotator cuff tears

Tears can be either partial where there is one of the rotator cuff muscles tendon is frayed or damaged – or a complete tear where the tear goes all the way through the tendon.

rotator cuff tears

Recovering from a rotator cuff injury

The good news is that most people with an injury to the rotator cuff can manage their symptoms and make a full recovery with physiotherapy. Treatment depends on the type of injury but includes,

  • soft tissue therapy to release tight musculature,
  • exercise management to build up strength in the rotator cuff and other shoulder stabilisers and
  • avoiding overhead movements until the tendon heals.

Physiotherapy treatment may also include taping or a specific shoulder brace to unload the tendon.

 

Occasionally surgery may be required

If there is a substantial injury to the rotator cuff, surgery may be required.  If this is the case physiotherapy can also help with both your pre-operative and post-operative rehabilitation.

 

Do you need help with shoulder pain?

If so, contact us on (02)  4454 4588.

Knee Pain

Knee pain is a common complaint among patients of all ages.

Knee pain may be the result of:

* an injury, such as a torn cartilage

* mechanical problems such as maltracking of the patella (kneecap)

* or a medical condition, such as osteoarthritis

 

 

The good news is that the majority of knee pain can be alleviated with physiotherapy and ongoing self care.

Symptoms of knee pain

The location and severity of knee pain may vary, depending on the cause. Generally, it will include one or more of the following:

  • Swelling and stiffness
  • Weakness or instability
  • Popping or crunching noises
  • Redness and/or warm to touch
  • Inability to straighten the knee

 

 

 

There are many different causes of knee pain

 

Injury

  • Tears to ACL and/or meniscus –  Loaded twisting actions of the knee, particularly changing direction awkwardly while running or other load-bearing activities can cause a tear to the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) and or meniscus (cartilage between the knee).

 

  • Fractures – A fall on the knee or direct blow can break or dislocate the kneecap or bones that make up the knee joint.

 

  • Tendinitis – is inflammation of the one or more tendons of the knee. It is aggravated by movement, particularly going up and downstairs.  It is often due to either high volume or long-term repeated load on the tendon.  Tendinitis is common in runners. And, as we age, the tendons start to become more brittle, making them more vulnerable to increased loads.

 

  • Bursitis – There are 11 bursae (small fluid-filled sacs) around the knee joint.  They can become irritated with prolonged kneeling and/or mechanical irritation or a direct blow to the knee causing pain and swelling around the knee.

 

Mechanical problems

  • Hip/foot pain – Conditions of the hip and/or foot may alter the way you walk, placing more load on the knee joint.

 

  • Iliotibial Band  (ITB) Syndrome – The ITB is a band of connective tissue that extends from the outside of the hip to the outside of the knee.  It can tighten during activities such as running causing lateral knee pain.

 

Medical Conditions

Arthritis.  There are many types of arthritis but two are common causes of knee pain.

 

  • Osteoarthritis is due to wear and tear of the cartilage of the knee

 

  • Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that causes pain and inflammation of multiple joints including the knee.

 

Managing knee pain

Due to the wide variety of causes, it is important to have your knee pain assessed early on by a physiotherapist to determine the source of the pain and implement the appropriate treatment.

This may include manual therapy, ultrasound, taping and bracing, exercise therapy and avoiding the aggravating movements.

 

Learn more

 

 

For more information call 9819 6151

Achilles Tendinopathy

Achilles Tendinopathy refers to both micro tears and inflammation in the Achilles tendon. It is a common overuse injury, especially with runners and other activities with repeated loading on the Achilles tendon.

What is the Achilles Tendon?

The Achilles tendon is located in the lower limb and connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. It is the thickest and strongest tendon in the human body. There are two areas of the tendon that can be affected by Achilles tendinopathy.

a) The mid portion of the tendon due to micro tears
b) The insertion of the tendon onto the heel due to mechanical irritation

What causes Achilles Tendinopathy?

An increase in load (training volume) is usually the main cause of Achilles Tendinopathy. The other underlying factors generally include:

• Abnormal foot biomechanics (eg excessive rolling in or out or high arch)
• Calf weakness
• Calf and hamstring tightness
• Poor footwear (inadequate heel or decreased forefoot flexibility)
• Change in training surface
• Decrease in recovery time between training sessions

Signs and Symptoms of Achilles Tendinopathy

• Burning pain in the Achilles at the beginning of activity which lessens during the activity and worsens afterwards
• Stiffness in the tendon first thing in the morning or at the beginning of exercise
• Tenderness, heat or swelling around the Achilles
• Thickening of the tendon

How is Achilles Tendinopathy treated?

Achilles Tendinopathy can be treated successfully by:

  • decreasing load on the tendon
  • correcting underlying foot biomechanics
  • eccentric exercises

Therapies such as soft tissue massage, electrotherapy and taping can help speed up the recovery process.

Learn more about Achilles Tendinopathy

For more information or advice regarding Achilles Tendinopathy call us on 9819 6151. We are here to help and keep you moving well.

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Do you suffer from lower back pain?

Lower back pain is extremely common, affecting 8 in 10 people at some stage in their life.

The majority of cases of lower back pain (90%) are not due to a serious disease or serious back problem. They fall into a category called ‘non-specific lower back pain’.

Non-specific lower back pain

The cause of non-specific lower back pain can be hard to identify but often happen after lifting a heavy load or twisting awkwardly. In some cases, you can wake up with lower back pain. The pain can be mild to severe.

Causes of lower back pain

While the cause may be hard to identify, it is usually a strain of a muscle or ligament. In some cases, it can be a minor problem with a disc that sits in between two vertebrae or the facet joint, a small joint in between two vertebrae.

These episodes can easily be treated with physiotherapy to reduce muscle tightness and pain and quickly improve your range of movement. Specific and targeted exercise management is an important part of the treatment process to help prevent a recurrence.

 

More serious back problems

A small group of back pain patients (less than 10%) may have a more serious back problem. These fall into 2 key categories.

Nerve-root-irritation

Nerve root irritation

This is where a nerve root exiting the spine becomes irritated causing pain into the buttock and down the affected leg into the foot. You may also experience pins and needles and numbness.

This is often caused by a disc in between the vertebrae prolapsing or bulging and touching the nerve root.

Physiotherapy can help milder cases of nerve root irritation. If the nerve root irritation is severe or continues you will need to see your GP and be referred to a Specialist for treatment.

Cauda equina

Cauda equina is a serious nerve root problem where the nerves at the base of the spine are pressed on causing not only lower back pain but also bladder problems (unable to urinate), numbness around the saddle area and numbness down one or both legs.

You must see your GP if you experience these symptoms as it needs to be treated urgently. Fortunately, cases of Cauda equina are rare.

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation (including targeted exercise management) following an episode of lower back pain or following back surgery is important to help speed up your recovery process and reduce the risk of recurrence.

Call us on 9819 6151 can help you manage your back pain.

Flexibility: why it is important

exercise-improves-flexibilityFlexibility is important in day-to-day activities and sports. It allows for greater comfort and ability  – and reduces your risk of injury.

To initiate movement, your muscles contract (shorten).  How well they contract will depend on the initial resting length of the muscle.

And, for any movement, there is an optimum resting length to gain the optimum contraction your muscles.

For example …

Turning your head

Turning your head while driving is something we do regularly. This requires optimum resting length in your neck muscles and a muscle contraction.   If the resting length of your neck muscles is less than optimum (shortened) , you won’t be able to turn your head to the desired range.

When you can’t turn your head it means some muscles are too tight and the optimum tension is not correct.

Bending over

Think about bending over to touch your toes. If you can’t bend over like you used to, your hamstrings may be too tight and need lengthening.

What is flexibility?

Flexibility refers to the mobility of your muscles and is defined as the Range Of Motion (ROM) of your joints or the ability of your joints to move through different planes.

There is a balance between the initial resting length of a muscle and the contraction of a muscle to build the right tension to move your joints.  This impacts on the joint range of motion.

  • If the resting length of a muscle is too long, or too short, it will affect the ability of the muscle to contract.

Why is flexibility important

Improves skill level

Good muscle and joint flexibility allow your joints to accommodate all the different angles required for everyday movements or sport-specific movements.

Decreases risk of injury

A balance between the length versus the tension of muscles reduces your risk of injury, particularly muscle tears or sprains.

There are several groups of muscles that show a tendency towards tightness.

These include the:

  • hamstrings
  • calf muscles
  • pectoral muscles and some
  • back muscles.

These muscles are often implicated in musculoskeletal pain, especially back pain and are prone to strains.

Increases efficiency

When muscle length and muscle contraction are optimised, you can obtain maximum muscle power and efficiency for your chosen sport or activity.

For example, when running …

If you have optimal length and tension in hamstrings, quads, hip flexors and gluteal muscles when you are running, this allows for:

  • an increase in speed
  • less fatigue over longer distances
  • overall enhancement of your running enjoyment due to less pain in your legs and lower back

Flexibility can be limited by …

High muscle tone

High muscle tone occurs when the muscle is overworked or tense. Nerves supplying the muscle continue to provide a low-level discharge. This means the muscle cannot fully relax so the resting length is altered. This limits the full range of movement of the joint to which the muscle is attached.

Stretch reflex

As a muscle is rapidly stretched there is an automatic neuromuscular response – the ‘stretch reflex’ which limits overstretching to prevent injury. Where the length and tension relationship of a muscle is reduced, this reflex can start earlier, limiting the joint’s range of motion.

Change in muscle and connective tissue

As we age, muscle fibres are gradually replaced with fibrous connective tissue which is less elastic. This increases the stiffness of the joint, limiting the range of motion of the joint, particularly in highly mobile joints such as the shoulder and hips.

Bony change

Bony changes in the joints due to ageing or injury can affect how the surfaces of the joints line up decreasing flexibility and decreasing joint range of motion.

Poor posture

Poor posture can reduce the optimum length and tension relationship of skeletal muscle leading to stiffness in the joints as they are prevented from moving through their full ROM.

Try this activity and see if you notice the difference in your arm’s range of motion.

  1. Sit in a slumped position and raise your arms up over your head.
  2. Now sit on your sit bones, stack your spine up long and now raise your arms up overhead.
  3. Do you notice the difference?

Previous injuries

Injuries to muscles and connective tissue can lead to a thickening (fibrosing) of the soft tissue. Fibrous tissue is less elastic and can lead to decreased resting length of the muscle and reduced range of movement (ROM) in the affected joint.

 

 

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